By Megan Cecil-Gobble | Contributing Writer
“When you prepare for an earthquake, you also prepare for smaller emergencies, like a temporary loss of water or sewer service.” So says a Portland City Utilities 2022 newsletter. In Oregon, we usually don’t think about water scarcity, but pipes do freeze or 100-year old pipes burst and then no water flows through our kitchen sink. This month we begin to gather our two week emergency supply kit which includes life’s necessity – water.
Each of us needs about 1 gallon a day of water, or 14 gallons for two weeks. That’s 112 pint bottles (four dollars for 40 at Costco) or ten 1.5 gallon bottles ($1.79 each at Target). You’ll need to find storage somewhere in your house or apartment. If you have access to a water heater, it can hold 30 to 80 gallons of drinkable water. The Regional Water Providers Consortium website at regionalh2o.org has useful info on where to store water at home, how to recycle your own bottles, and steps to get H₂O from a water heater.
Once you have space to store water and supplies, it’s time to gather this month’s items:
- 3 gallons of water per person
- 3 cans of protein per person (tuna, chicken, etc)
- Hand operated can opener
- Dry fruit or trail mix
- Paper, pencil, a permanent marker
- Large tub to hold items
First look around your house for anything you may already have available. I found my parents’ can opener and plenty of paper and pencils.
Then, complete these other tasks:
1) add ICE (In Case of Emergency) numbers to your phone contact list, and
2) Read up on local types of disaster preparations. The Oregon Health Authority’s Emergency Preparedness website is pretty thorough. If you read this article on CNA’s website, I’ll have links to various resources and the “Weekly Steps to Emergency Preparedness” brochure to peruse on your own.
I’m hunting for supplies locally and visiting neighborhood stores. There are several within Concordia’s boundaries. I found trail mix and fresh owner-made spring rolls at Union 76 on NE 33rd and Killingsworth. Food Villa near NE Holman Street has canned goods and a water filling station and so does New Seasons, our wonderful local grocers. I bought a second hand basket at Take It or Leave It on NE 42nd and fixed it up with colorful ribbons I had. The little store La Playita (2815 NE Alberta St.) on Alberta has been open for 27 years. Stop by and say “Hi/Hola” to the owner and buy some helados.
So head out and explore as you fill your emergency kit. Have fun, learn something new, and be prepared to ride the waves of future chaos as calmly as you can.
You can recycle soda and water containers after cleaning, sterilizing and filling with tap water (and some bleach – yeah, that bleach). But you can’t reuse milk or juice containers this way as they will grow unpleasant bacteria.
Megan is a retired Engineer/ RN. Aged Girl Scout with survival training. Lived 30 years in Portland with Patrick. Grandkids nearby.